Door motion dampening system

Abstract

A system for dampening an opening motion of a door includes a frame, an access door and at least one dampening member. The access door is rotatably secured to the frame. The access door is configured to be moved with respect to the frame between closed and completely open positions. The at least one dampening member is secured to the access door or the frame. The dampening member(s) dampens movement of the access door toward the completely open position over a range of motion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for dampening an opening motion of a door, the system comprising:
 a frame including lateral walls integrally connected to upper and lower walls, wherein a recessed area is formed within said lateral, upper, and lower walls, said recessed area surrounding a central opening formed through said frame, and wherein a channel is formed through said frame below said recessed area and said central opening; 
 at least one hinge having at least a portion within said channel below said recessed area and said central opening; 
 an access door rotatably secured to said frame through said at least one hinge, wherein said access door is configured to be moved with respect to said frame between closed and completely open positions; and 
 at least one rotational damper secured to said access door or said frame, wherein said at least one rotational damper operatively connects to said at least one hinge; 
 at least one linear damper vertically extending from a horizontal surface of said lower wall of said frame into said channel below said recessed area and said central opening, wherein said at least one linear damper is perpendicular to said horizontal surface, said at least one rotational damper and said at least one linear damper dampening movement of said access door toward the completely open position over a range of motion. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , said at least one linear damper being in an at-rest position when said access door is in the closed position, and said at least one linear damper contacting said access door and exerting a resistive force into said access door during the movement of said access door toward the completely open position. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the range of motion is an entire range of motion from the closed position to the completely open position. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the range of motion is a portion of the entire range of motion from the closed position to the completely open position, wherein an initial descent over the range of motion is undampened and a final descent over the range of motion is dampened. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said frame forms a portion of a main refrigerator door, and said access door is a secondary door positioned on said main refrigerator door. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said access door includes at least one damper chamber connected to at least one hinge chamber, wherein said at least one rotational damper is secured within said at least one damper chamber, and wherein said at least one rotational damper operatively connects to said at least one hinge within said at least one hinge chamber. 
     
     
       7. A refrigerator door system comprising:
 a main refrigerator door having a recessed area surrounding a central opening formed through said main refrigerator door, and wherein a channel is formed through said main refrigerator door below said recessed area and said central opening, said main refrigerator door being configured to rotate about a first axis; 
 hinges having at least portions within said channel below said recessed area and said central opening; 
 an access door rotatably secured to said main refrigerator door through said hinges, said access door configured to rotate about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, wherein said access door is configured to be moved with respect to said main refrigerator door between closed and completely open positions; and 
 rotational dampers secured to said access door or said main refrigerator door, wherein said rotational dampers operatively connect to said hinges; 
 linear dampers vertically extending from a horizontal surface of said main refrigerator door into said channel below said recessed area and said central opening, wherein said linear dampers are perpendicular to said horizontal surface, said rotational and linear dampers dampening movement of said access door toward the completely open position over a range of motion. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , said linear dampers being in an at-rest position when said access door is in the closed position, and said linear dampers contacting said access door and exerting a resistive force into said access door during the movement of said access door toward the completely open position. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the range of motion is an entire range of motion from the closed position to the completely open position. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the range of motion is a portion of the entire range of motion from the closed position to the completely open position, wherein an initial descent over the range of motion is undampened and a final descent over the range of motion is dampened. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 7 , wherein said access door includes damper chambers connected to hinge chambers, wherein said rotational dampers are secured within said damper chambers, and wherein said rotational dampers operatively connect to said hinges within said hinge chambers. 
     
     
       12. A system for dampening an opening motion of a door, the system comprising:
 a frame having a recessed area that surrounds a central opening formed through said frame, and wherein a channel is formed through said frame below said recessed area and said central opening; 
 an access door rotatably secured to said frame, wherein said access door is configured to be moved with respect to said frame between closed and completely open positions; 
 rotational damper housings secured to said access door, each of said rotational damper housings comprising a case and a rotational damper within said case, said rotational damper comprising a post extending from a main body, said post being rotatably and resistively secured to said main body; 
 hinges having portion secured to said frame within said channel below said recessed area and said central opening, each of said hinges comprising a pivot member having an opening, each of said rotational damper housings connecting to one of said hinges by way of said posts fixedly securing into said openings, said rotational dampers dampening movement of said access door toward the completely open position over a range of motion; and 
 linear dampers vertically extending from a horizontal surface of said frame into said channel below said recessed area and said central opening, wherein said linear dampers are perpendicular to said horizontal surface. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , said dampers being in an at-rest position when said access door is in the closed position, and said linear dampers contacting said access door and exerting a resistive force into said access door during the movement of said access door toward the completely open position. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said main body comprises a tab radially extending therefrom, said tab being positioned with a radial channel formed through said case, said tab being allowed to move through said radial channel such that an initial descent over the range of motion is undampened and a final descent over the range of motion is dampened. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said main body comprises a tab radially extending therefrom, said tab being secured from movement within a slot formed through said case, wherein the range of motion is an entire range of motion from the closed position to the completely open position. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said frame forms a portion of a main refrigerator door, and said access door is a secondary door positioned on said main refrigerator door. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 12 , wherein said access door includes damper chambers connected to hinge chambers, wherein said rotational damper housings are secured within said damper chambers, and wherein said damper housings operatively connect to said hinges within said hinge chambers.